1. Field of the Invention
This invention provides a method of centrifugally separating residual oil or other liquid contamination from shredded or granulated containers used to package the oil or other liquid. In principle, the apparatus consists of a shredder or cutter assembly at the in-feed area which reduces the container to chips or shreds. The chips or shreds are then fed into a centrifugal device which separates the oil (or other liquid) from the container material. The separated liquid is subsequently drained through a series of filters into a holding tank, while the chipped or shredded container material is discharged into a holding vessel.
With an understanding of the present need to protect both our natural environment and to optimize the use of natural resources, the importance of this apparatus should be readily apparent. In a first case, a mechanical separation of the residual liquid (most notably, motor oil) from its chipped or shredded container assures less pollutants introduced into the waste stream from cleaning operations in the form of an emulsion of water, detergents, and the specific material in the container. In a second case, a mechanical separation assures a greater return of product into its highest value usage with the least energy expended; that is, motor oil may be recovered in the form of pure motor oil rather than as an emulsion which requires expensive reprocessing for commercial reuse.